Tag Archives: church

George and I spent many years sponsoring church youth groups. At the church in Big Spring, TX, the kids–from fourth to seventh grade–loved my brownies, homemade and fudgy. One Sunday, I didn’t have time to whip up a batch from scratch so I pulled out a mix. To make it special, I cut up cream cheese into little chunks and stirred them in. After I pulled them out of the oven, I took a deep breath. They looked and smelled wonderful. No one could figure out they were from a mix.

When I set the plate before the group, each took a brownie and studied it. In unison they said, “What are those white things?” I said, “Cream cheese.” Again, as one, they looked at me in horror and asked, “You put cheese in brownies?”

They didn’t find this addition in the least bit special. When I cleaned up the plates, each had a pile of tiny chunks of cream cheese.

Do you have a favorite story about young people and/or favorite recipes? I’d love to hear them.

Although many readers have told me they know the real Miss Birdie, one of the main characters in the Butternut Creek series, they’re wrong. She was inspired by many women in various churches from Kentucky to Texas and many states in between. I believe nearly every church has one.

Do YOU know a Miss Birdie? If you do, please tell me about her. What are the identifying characteristics of a Miss Birdie?